Training Wheels
by Griffbear
Summary: Hiro and Ando have ended up in the future. This takes place right after Episode 18, 'Parasite'. Hiro desperately wishes he had more help with his powers, and receives it from an unlikely source.


**Training Wheels**

_Do you believe in a higher being, or something else? Can you perform miracles with your will alone, or do you require something external of yourself? That is the question. - Mohinder Suresh_

Hiro's voice became agitated after a few minutes of looking at the devastation that was New York after it's demise. "Ando. I have to teleport us back. We're too late."

Ando was speechless. He had witnessed Hiro vanish in his last teleport to try to save Charlie among other miracles that Hiro had manifested during their adventures, but being teleported was an entirely new sensation for him. He stood at the edge of the building, staring at what was left of New York. "Uh, Hiro... should we? If we're in the future... Shouldn't we find out more on why?"

He trailed off with a frown as a thought occurred, and spoke quietly out of the respect for the assumed dead. "...If there's any survivors..."

Hiro looked out at the expanse, and sighed heavily. "I hope there are some." He laid a hand on the counter, and stared into the horizon, withdrawing within himself.

_**I've got the sword now, but is it still too late? I'm happy I was able to teleport us out of there, but why do I always travel further in the future or the past? Do I need more practice? What should I do? I thought this sword would teach me how to focus my powers, but...**_

_**No! I must not doubt myself again. I must succeed! My powers must be honed somehow! **_

Unconciously, he clenched his fist, and scowled in determination. "We must go back. I must learn how to use my powers better. I either need practice or a teacher."

Ando looked at him with puzzlement, mingled with an undefinable emotion. "How? Do you know anyone who could teach you how to use them?"

Hiro frowned, "I don't know. Other than ... myself..."

Slowly, an idea began to emerge in his head. Perhaps his future self _was _here. Somewhere. Thinking furiously back to his comics -- he wondered if thinking intently to do something at a future date, he'd cause his future self to materialize here?

With determination set in his features, he uttered firmly in a clear voice which echoed into the mostly silent sky. "I must return to this date when I've gained more skills. I swear it on my sword!"

Ando looked confused while he laid a hand on Hiro's shoulder. "What are you doing?"

Hiro smiled at him. "An idea. Let's see if it works."

The near-silent city went abruptly silent as things froze, even the smoke from the distant skyscrapers. "I thought I'd find you here, Hiro."

Hiro and Ando whirled around to find the source of the familiar voice. Hiro grinned. "Yatai! I thought that might work."

Future Hiro smiled slightly, his dark clothed outfit, and his soul patch differentating the two selves. "Hello, Ando. Hiro. I expect I'm here because I promised myself to return to this date at a future time?"

Hiro grinned widely, nodding vigorously, "Yes! Yes. Please. I need training, some help, anything to control my power better."

Ando stared, his mouth hanging open in shock. Both were identical, other than the one who had just materialized -- he was wearing a black samurai-ish outfit that he could ascertain, and he saw the sword that Hiro had just stole on his back as well. He looked several years older, but it was hard to gauge whether he was several weeks or several years. **_Two Hiros?! At once? I've seen everything!_**

Hiro smiled faintly at Ando's reaction. Looking at Ando, he bowed slightly, before speaking again. "Ando, I have some things to discuss with my ...past self. Would you mind giving us some privacy?"

Ando shrugged, and smiled, despite being thrown into the future. "Sure. I'll.. er, be over there." He wandered to the other side of the Deveraux building, opposite them, and leaned on the rim, watching the two converse.

He studied the two as they talked, and very shortly he saw they seemed the same -- personality wise, but he saw that the 'older' Hiro seemed to carry himself with more poise and less exuberantly as his friend Hiro tended to do. Somewhat like he had his eyes opened at one point, and he definitely seemed more serious about things. A thought struck him -- he had been watching Hiro throughout the entire journey up to this point, and wondered privately to himself. **_Does Hiro need that sword? Or is it a confidence booster? He seemed to do fairly well from what I did see of his displays of power before. Does the sword have some sort of mechanism inside it that helps focus his powers? Maybe we'll never find out. I guess it's not that important HOW. Just as long as it works. _**

_**I wonder what they're talking about? **_

Hiro smiled uncertainly at his older self, wondering what was going through his mind -- after all, a person could change over several years, and he thought 'Future Hiro' looked at least several years older.

'Future' Hiro rubbed his soul patch, musing on the past. It wouldn't do to teach his younger self everything, of course, since that's not how HE learned himself, but he didn't think it'd hurt to try to teach him _some _of the basics of his powers. He remembered in the initial days where his teleporting always had to shift him in time as well as place. Perhaps Hiro wouldn't have so much trouble learning as he did. Maybe more lives could be saved.

He refocused on his cheerful counterpart, and smiled again, almost apologetic. "Sorry. I was thinking about the past. My past. I cannot train you as much as you'd hope, I'm afraid. I don't want to risk changing the past too much."

Hiro lit up and nodded vigorously. He was slightly disappointed that not everything would be taught to him, but he knew that too much information could endanger things. That was the #1 rule of time travel. 'Try not to change time.' "Anything will help! Can you help me teleport without going all over time?"

'Future' Hiro chuckled softly. That'd be something he'd be capable of teaching -- because he had learned it several weeks later in any case -- on how to narrow the spatial coordinates, and focus the temporal coordinates to the same time, or nearly. "Of course."

He went into an explanation to clarify exactly how teleporting worked -- to focus on a location was necessary, yes, but so was keeping in mind the temporal aspect.

"You have to focus on a location, yes, but also try to keep in mind of the same 'second' you are at the moment to be the same there as well. The reverse is also true."

Hiro looked slightly confused but nodded. "Okay. I think I understand."

'Future' Hiro nodded. He knew he had tried to explain it in the most simplest of terms, but explaining how time and space worked wasn't easy, even for him. "Good. Now, I can tell you this. You can reverse, stop, and slow time down. You don't need much training in those. All you can do now is practice. I can help you practice, if you wish."

He leaned over to the side, and picked up a worn wooden plank, holding it up.

He stared at Hiro and grinned. Suddenly throwing the board up in the air, he ordered, "Stop time _only _around the board!"

Hiro had no time to think and he closed his eyes and concentrated hard, visualizing time stopping around the wooden plank. He opened his eyes slowly and stared in wonder.

The wooden plank had stopped in midair, and he suddenly noticed that time had resumed around him. Somehow 'Future' Hiro had let time resume while they were in conversation, and he hadn't noticed.

Speaking in awe, he whispered, "I did that?"

'Future' Hiro chuckled. "Yes. You are capable of a lot, but you are still new to your powers. I just wanted to teach you to at least learn how to still time around certain objects and things, and even people, if necessary."

He then continued with his eyes closed, and the board dropped to the ground inbetween the two. His expression grew serious again. "And, now, I believe I've said everything I can impart to you. I haven't any idea if we will meet again or not. But do remember to come back here after several years. It keeps the time loop going."

Hiro nodded quickly. "I understand. Thank you!" And with that, 'Future' Hiro dematerialized from view.

Ando had been watching the whole proceedings, and smiled to himself. Hopefully Hiro got some help with his powers. He started walking back toward Hiro, then spoke. "Did you find out what you wanted to know?"

Hiro looked at him, pride at his older self swelling his chest. "Yes! I do well in the future. I understand my power a little better."

Looking at his watch, he took note of the exact date, and clasped Ando's shoulders, closing his eyes in concentration.

Holding the image of the Deveraux Roof in his mind, he also sought out the temporal niche that he had come from, and felt the familiar sensation of falling overwhelm the two. The two dematerialized from the roof, and reappeared on the roof.

They opened their eyes, and cast their glances over the horizon of New York, and cheered.

Hiro beamed. "I think we did it!"

Ando chuckled. "Was there ever any doubt? We should find a newspaper to doublecheck, though."

Hiro nodded, but inwardly, he instinctively knew that they _were _back in the present. There was a detail his future self neglected to mention to him, however -- that it was possible to _feel _Time's essence, however slight.

He had just _touched_ Time in mid teleport, inside his mind.

Now -- all he had to do was try to save New York from the 'Exploding Man'...whoever that was.

Fin


End file.
